


if he left off dreaming about you (where do you suppose you’d be?)

by moeblobmegane



Category: Nowhere Boys (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, a side of Felix/Ellen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 13:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13215165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moeblobmegane/pseuds/moeblobmegane
Summary: In the world in between parallel universes, Andy sees things that makes him think of what has changed.





	if he left off dreaming about you (where do you suppose you’d be?)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kocchan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kocchan/gifts).



> This is for my brother, since when I asked about what he wants for Christmas, he went "A Jandy fic!!!". This AU has no Saskia, and goes different from s2, so canon divergence from s2 onwards? I wrote this in half a day after sleeping at 5 am, so forgive me for the mistakes. The holidays is stressful!!!
> 
>  **For my brother:** Thank you so much for being patient with me and being the best brother anyone could hope for. I know I'm a super difficult sister and I'm really thankful you stay by me despite all that. Merry Christmas and I hope you like this!!!

**i.**

Andy wakes up in a dark, dark place. Everything seems muted, with the colors saturated to almost gray and the overwhelming pressure of silence pushing from all sides. He knows immediately that he is alone, or at least not with his friends anymore. The magic did not work the way it was supposed to. The voice, whoever that is, only gave him lies and added oil to his fire of anger.

For a moment, before the panic could set in, all he feels is disappointment in himself. He is the smart one. He is the one with the plans that _work_. He is the one his friends look to when they need a rational brain to solve a problem.

Well, it is either him or Felix;

Felix who asked Ellen out in front of him, who went back to his friendship circle just like Sam. Helping each other in a world that is against you has brought them closer, has given them a bond like no other, but as soon as they were back to their world, it all came tumbling back to its normal setting. They are not friends. They are not brothers-at-arms. Felix is a goth with a small group of friends. Sam is the most popular guy in High School. Jake is… Jake has a mother to get back to, and old friends to reconnect with.

Andy is alone again, like always.

 

Panic eventually does set in. It is cold in this empty place and there is only darkness wherever he looks. The silence is unnerving. Andy gets goosebumps as he walks forward. Someone is here. Someone he does not know. Someone who may not even be human.

Throwing all logic in the air, he runs forward without a plan,

and screams.

 

**ii.**

Jake sits at their living room and looks at all the things he has gotten throughout his life. He is back in a world where he exists, where he is _loved_. He has a mother who cares for him and a whole school who knows him by name. He is back. He is _home_.

But for all that the parallel universe is the worst place Jake could think of, it is also the place where he learned all about himself. Lessons he did not know he needed were taught to him by the image of a world without them. He learned to be kind. He learned to stop and look at other people. He learned that his past self was a bully who made things harder for people who already had a hard time at school.

In the parallel universe, he gained friends: Felix who is weird but wants what is best for his brother; and Andy who is… smarter than anyone Jake knows, and more fun to be with, too. Jake learns about magic, and he is stronger for it.

Now though, as magic has given him friends, it takes one away.

When Jake closes his eyes, he sees the image of Andy turning into pure water and disappearing into the sky.

 

His mother arrives home to see him curled up on the couch, his face hidden from view.

“Honey,” she calls out, “what’s wrong?”

He cannot face her. There is a hollow in his chest he cannot explain, and he refuses to show his mother this. “Nothing, mom.” She has so much to worry about. He already gave her so much trouble by disappearing.

She sits on the arm rest and combs her hand through his hair. It is overly tender, and he is once again reminded of a world when she has succeeded in life because he does not exist. She deserves that, but he is selfish enough to want this for himself. He wants his mom to be there for him, and he wants to be able to help her too.

“If there’s anything you need, just tell me, okay?”

He nods. “I will.”

He hopes they get Andy back before he breaks.

 

**iii.**

It does not take long for Andy to figure out that this world has its own rules. The laws of physics do not work in whatever pocket dimension this is. Sometimes, a rock falls upward. Sometimes, a hallway extends without reason. The dimensions of the second floor does not equate with the first floor, and while Andy can see a third floor, he cannot see any way to reach it. The environment changes, but the saturated colors and the total silence remains the same. It is terrifying.

All he wants is to go home.

 

He meets Bear after jumping off the second floor into what looks like a whirlpool in the first floor. Desperation makes him do ridiculously boneheaded things, apparently.

Bear appears as soon he lands back on the second floor after being tossed around the wormholes connected to the floor and ceiling. He looks younger than Andy and he has no name. He wears a black hoodie and a serious expression. He tells Andy to calm down, to accept this world as home.

“This is not my home,” Andy protests. “I have a family! I have friends!”

“Do you?” Bear asks.

Andy thinks about Nai-Nai and Viv. He thinks about his mother crying when he came back, and his father’s tight hug. He thinks of Jake’s expression when he pleaded for Andy to stop the spell, to come back with them. He thinks of Jake’s smile when they shared a fortune cookie with each other. He has a family, and he thinks perhaps Jake is still his friend. He thinks whatever happened in the parallel world changed them enough that they will always consider each other as friends.

“I- I think so,” Andy says. “I have a home to get back to.”

“Then why did you run away from them?” Bear asks, a thoughtful look on his face. “You had a sister. A mom. A friend who longs to get you back.” His words have wisdom that feels deep for his age.

 _I was afraid_ , he thinks but does not say. “The spell was wrong,” he answers instead. It is the version of the truth that can easily be said. Whoever that voice belongs to, they tricked him into coming here. Tricked him into being _stuck_ here. “I didn’t want to run away.”

Bear gives him this look like he can see through Andy. “You’re not ready to go home,” he says. “You need to see something.”

 

“This is…” Amazing. A scientific discovery that will change everything. The most beautiful thing Andy has ever seen. He does not know how to describe this. He feels like a god, standing here in the middle of a million windows to every universe. He sees Ellen from the other world, and though he wants to see her, he understands in himself that those feelings are about the adventures he experienced in that other world, about the feeling of being wanted, of being a hero. He likes Ellen, but perhaps not the same way Ellen likes him.

He sees other worlds too. In some, there are flying cars and robots walking amongst people. In some, there are people performing magic in their everyday lives. In some, there are wars. In some, the closest thing to peace.

He sees himself in all kinds of environments. A million Andys from a million worlds.

One is a successful survivalist who Roland considers a friend. One is studying in a school faraway, in a boarding school for brilliant scientists. One is…

“This one’s…” He narrows his eyes and leans closer, not quite believing it. “This one is making out with Jake behind the gym.” He feels himself blush as he watches the scene unfold. The parallel universe Jake puts his forehead on Andy’s and looks at him with clear affection in his eyes. He looks besotted, and Andy looks up at him with the same expression. It looks _right_. They look happy.

Andy cannot find words to explain what is happening in his chest.

Bear looks like he wants to smile but his face has not had exercise doing so. His eyes twinkle with amusement, though. “A reality where you and your friends didn’t do magic, and instead went on your ways. The key difference is that Jake helps you with making your project for shop while you help him with his maths.”

“That’s it?” Andy cannot feel his face, and he cannot look away from the soft whispers and the soft looks those two share.

“One stone causes many ripples,” Bear explains.

Andy understands that rationally, but he cannot absorb the idea of one simple change in their timeline making _this_ possible. Him and Jake? Together? _Kissing_?!

This feels even more of an earth-shattering revelation than the fact that an in-between and millions of universes exist.

 

**iv.**

Jake’s feet turns to stone after an unfortunate accident involving Mr. Bates and his hand on Mom’s shoulder. Every time he uses his elemental powers, especially out of anger, it feels like a part of him hardens even more. He feels all dried out and it scares him.

“You need water,” Nai-Nai explains.

Felix fetches him a glass of water while Sam looks on with that confused expression on his face. “I don’t think this will be solved just by drinking lots of water,” Sam says. “This is magic, right?”

Nai-Nai rolls her eyes and hits him on the head. “Earth is balanced by water,” she says. “When earth is at its most volatile, it needs water to balance it.”

“Oh,” Jake says. _Andy_. They lost their Water element, and now Jake is over-using his powers because of his temper. He thinks if Andy was here, he’d be able to do something. He’d theorize about how the elemental powers work, and he’d help Jake get a handle on things. Andy always has his back.

 

Later, Felix says, “We need to find a water elemental.”

“We need to find _Andy_ ,” Jake shoots back. He is tired of Felix focusing on anything else but finding Andy. “ _He’s_ our water elemental.”

“We need a new one if we want to find him,” Felix insists. "We need to do a tracking spell."

"Where are we even going to find one?" Sam asks.

"I have... candidates," Felix says before pulling out his book of shadows.

 

It turns out, none of the candidates fit their needs. More pressingly, people are now wondering where Andy is and why he's missing. Mia is fighting with Sam, and Ellen is fighting with Felix. Everything feels like a mess.

Jake hobbles towards a tree and sits beneath it, exhausted beyond anything. Half his leg is turning into stone and it only seems to be getting worse. What if his mom sees his leg and panics? What if both his legs turn into stone and he can't move from here? What if he dies before they find Andy?

"Hey!"

Great. This is the last thing he needs. "Felix isn't here," he tells Ellen.

Ellen narrows her eyes and kneels beside him. "You guys are hiding something, and I'll get to the bottom of it."

"Good luck with that," Jake says with a sigh. He'll probably be stone by then. There is no point fighting. Maybe if he dies in this world and his mom marries Mr. Bates, she'll become a successful, rich person again. Maybe she'll have a better life.

"What's  _wrong_ with you?" Ellen nudges his stone leg with a hand.

It... it feels  _cold_. It feels like.

It feels like  _water_.

Oh.

 

Ellen is a fast learner, and she saves Jake's life with very little complaints. She is actually easier to handle than Felix, and maybe if this was not the situation, Jake would be glad to have her as their Water elemental.

Instead, he misses Andy more and more. Ellen is smart and has a quick wit that reminds Jake of Andy, and also reminds him that the reason why Andy disappeared was because Andy  _likes_ Ellen, or at least that Ellen from the other world. Jake can see why. She is amazing.

She might be able to help them bring him back.

 

**v.**

"Oh!" Andy passes his popcorn over to Bear while keeping his gaze on his world's window. He does not know where the popcorn came from, but it has the perfect mix of butter and salt just like his dad makes during movie nights. Bear says the in-between gives him whatever he wants as long as he asks for it. ("But it won't let me go home?" he had asked. "You're not ready," Bear had cryptically answered.) "Ellen is a water element! That makes sense!"

Bear simply nods. He does not speak much.

"It explains why we feel an affinity towards each other. Perhaps, it was the magic we felt in the other universe. Interesting." He munches some more as he ponders this new development. "I'm glad they found her."

"You're not jealous?" It does not sound accusing, merely curious.

Andy can see why Bear asked the question. He would have been jealous of the idea of someone else taking his role in their group if the situation is different. "She saved Jake's life," he says. "Something..." He takes a deep breath, feeling that familiar panic inside his chest at the memory of what could have happened. What  _did_ happen, in another universe. "Something unthinkable would have happened, if not for her."

Bear stares at him like he does not understand. He looks like that at Andy often. "You're different from her, Andy Lau."

He knows about Alice by now from bits and pieces that Bear let slip. Bear considers Alice an enemy, but also his most important friend. Andy thinks Bear is just lonely with his only friend gone. "I sure hope so," he says with a smile. Alice left Bear without goodbye, cursing this world as if it made her who she is. Andy will learn from her mistakes. He will give Bear and this world the farewell it deserves, and figure out how this whole parallel universe thing works.

 

_Jake gives him flowers after their shift. He hides it behind him the whole time he tries to walk around Nai-Nai and Viv, but they see it anyway. They tease him, but the happiness in their faces is obvious. They are glad that Andy has someone who cares about him this much, even though Viv thinks it is gross._

_"What are the flowers for?" Andy asks._

_"I just felt like it," Jake answers with a shrug. "It's corny, sorry."_

_"It is," Andy teases with a laugh, elbowing him on the side. "I'm not Viv. I don't do flowers."_

_"You could always just grind the leaves and use them for experiments?"_

_"That's more like it," Andy agrees. "Want to help?"_

_"Are we going to make something explode?" Jake lights up at the idea, smiling wide and hopeful._

_Andy takes his hand and pulls him out the door. "Of course we will."_

"You like watching those worlds," Bear speaks up, materializing out of thin air right beside him.

Andy almost spills the sunflower seeds on his lap, but he controls his reaction. He is getting used to Bear's particular fondness for appearing out of nowhere. "It's fascinating," he says. "In this world, Jake takes a part-time job at our restaurant." Jake hides it from school, and Andy keeps quiet out of fear for the bully. At first, that is. They end up closing the restaurant together a few times, and they get to talking. Jake saves Andy from Trent at school, and they become friends. And then more than friends. Jake and his mother eats with Andy's family every weekend, like they are being accepted into the Lau's family. It is so fascinating.

"I don't understand your fascination." Bear sits beside him and watches the window with a blank expression. "There are worlds that are more changed than this."

He has seen a universe where dinosaurs did not die. There is a universe where the earth has three moons and humans aren't quite the kind of human Andy is used to. There are thousands of worlds that are more interesting than this, for sure, but Andy is mesmerized by these worlds with very little tweaks. One stone causes many ripples.

"This Andy is almost exactly like me," he explains. "But something happened that made him..."

"Like Jake?"

Andy shakes his head. He  _likes_ Jake. Perhaps not quite the same way, but he understands why this Andy does. Jake is a good person, and his love for his mom is the most admirable thing. He is not particularly bad looking either. He is athletic and street-smart, and he  _cares_. Andy can see the appeal. What he doesn't understand is  _how_ they become... this. How do they go from being friends who care about each other to giving flowers and kissing behind the gym?

"Some things just happen," Bear says, as if he can hear Andy's thoughts. "Things push and pull and you end up right where you're supposed to be."

Andy frowns. "So, what? Fate?" He dislikes the concept. "Isn't there a scientific explanation for this?"

"Is there a scientific explanation for love?"

"Yes," Andy says in exasperation. "Love is a mixture of chemicals in your brain that makes you feel good."

Bear huffs out a breath that sounds almost like a laugh. Andy feels a tiny bit proud for that. Soon, he'll be able to make Bear laugh, and he can rub that on Alice's face when he comes back. "Maybe," he says. "But your fascination has no scientific explanation, either."

It does. Scientific curiosity makes  _sense_. "Shut up," he says and pushes at Bear's shoulder.

 

He sees Jake sitting in his room, fuming after yet another fight with Felix. Andy understands why Felix chooses to help Oscar over finding him, but it still does sting. It helps that Jake is angrier than he could ever be.

What doesn't help is Jake's power manifesting because of said anger. If this continues, he might turn his feet into stone again.

"How can I help?" he mutters, staring at the window. He looks around the in-between, and formulates a proper plan for the first time in a while. (Is he getting complacent? Is he enjoying this place more than he should? He should probably work harder on getting back. His family needs him. Viv is showing an unbelievable amount of worry for him, and Jake is getting worse.) This window is a one way mirror. A mirror that hides itself by reflecting the world around it like a magician's box. When it comes to reflections,  _water_ is the best element to use.

He concentrates on the well of power he knows is inside him. He concentrates on the image of a one-way mirror, and of using water as a reflection. He thinks about Jake's expression of anger, and the pain he felt when his legs turn to stone. He thinks about helping. He thinks about Jake sitting at his side telling him that he is the smartest person Jake knows and that he trusts Andy's plan.

He reaches out a hand.

Silence reigns as Andy waits for something to happen.

And then--

"Andy?!" Jake leans forward to touch the circle, but they can't go through. Andy can project himself through his powers, but he does not understand the magic enough to get through the portal. He needs more research to do that. For now, this is enough. "Where are you? What-"

"I'm in the in-between," Andy explains. "Felix has been trying to find this place, right?"

"Yeah," Jake says. "He's not trying hard enough," he adds with vitriol. His voice is hard and his expression darkens for a moment and a small quake rocks the room.

"Relax," Andy says with a smile. He shakes his head and projects calm. "I'm fine. There's magic here that we don't understand, and I'm learning."

Jake frowns. "You like it there?" He looks dubious, which makes sense, since the place does appear like a gray empty world that fits more like a horror set than anything.

"It's not about liking," he answers. "I'm safe. I want to go home, but I'm safe. It's not that bad here."

And just as he says that, a portal appears below him and he gets sucked down.

 

**vi.**

"I was talking to him, and then he was gone!" Jake explains frantically. He hopes Felix would have something to say, would have an explanation about this whole event. "He said he was safe, but he was taken away while he was talking, and it didn't  _look_ safe!"

"I've never heard of anything like that," Felix says, which is the least helpful thing he could say.

"Did he look injured?" Ellen asks.

"He looked fine. He sounded fine." He said he was fine, but Jake still worries. Why did he disappear?

"We need to try the tracking spell again. Maybe use Ellen's connection to him as a guide," Felix explains.

"It could work," Sam agrees. "We don't have any other plan, right?"

Ellen sighs. Jake feels the same way. He hopes they will have some success soon.

 

It works, but not quite. They see Andy but they cannot talk to him the same way Andy talked to Jake. They see him fighting with a younger boy who looks calm and at ease in comparison to Andy's heated state, but they cannot hear what they are talking about. Andy can't see them, either.

By the time they finish the faulty spell, Sam has to go find Mia for one reason or another, and Felix has to go research some more. Jake is left alone with Ellen, who sits with him on the couch. "Aren't you going home?" he asks. He wants to be alone with his frustrations.

She shrugs. "Nothing better to do at home," she says. "Besides, I have questions and Felix is being annoying about everything. I need better answers."

"He's the one who knows about magic."

"Yeah, but all of you went to the other world the first time, and you seem to be closer to this Andy guy than Felix." She raises an eyebrow at him. "I've been talking to Viv, you know? She really misses her brother."

Andy's family must be distraught right now, losing their son a second time. They probably miss him more than Jake does, though it feels impossible. Jake's whole focus has been narrowed down to bringing Andy back, especially after they talked again after a week of Andy missing. "What do you want to know?"

"Why did he disappear? I know about the basics, like the spell and stuff, but...  _why_ did he use a spell?"

Jake has been thinking about this for a long time. He has replayed that moment over and over again. "Remember when Felix asked you out?"

She scrunches up her nose in embarrassment but she nods. "So?"

"Andy likes you, so he wanted to use his power to show off, but we don't know how to control it, so he wanted to get a stronger handle by using this... this spell." Alice did that, but Jake still cannot figure out how to make her bring Andy back. There is no use running towards her without a plan. Andy would make a plan.

"He doesn't like  _me,"_ Ellen protests. "He likes this weird version of me that  _doesn't exist_. I wouldn't like him whatever he tries."

Jake looks at her thoughtfully. "Because you like Felix."

A soft blush appears on Ellen's face. It feels like Jake is prying on something he should not, but well, Ellen opened this up. Jake  _is_ curious about it. "I've liked Felix since we were younger," she explained. "I thought he was the coolest person on earth." She looks down to hide her face. "I still think so."

"Coolest, huh?" Jake cannot see it, but maybe it's a matter of taste. "Never really thought of anyone like that." He pauses. "But Andy's the smartest person I know, and that's pretty cool."

Ellen laughs. "So I've noticed. You really like Andy, don't you?"

"Of course."

"No, I mean-" Ellen bites her lip and stares him down. "Never mind. You figure it out yourself."

"What?" Jake has no idea why she looks like she wants to laugh. Nothing about this conversation is funny. Embarrassing, maybe. But not funny.

"Boys are dumb," Ellen says, standing up and taking her bag. "I'll talk to Felix. I think I figured out who has a better connection to Andy than me." She smiles a little secretive smile, waves her hand, and walks off.

 

Ellen's idea does work, and they make a better connection to the in-between and to Andy via Jake. He has to concentrate hard on his memories of Andy and of the world he saw and the sound of Andy's voice, but it does work in the end. A smile appears on his face as soon as he sees Andy in the magic circle.

"Hey," he says, feeling light and happy for the first time in days. "Are you alright?"

Andy smiles back, and a warmth spreads inside Jake's chest. "I'm fine! I told you! Just concentrate on making the magic on your side work, and I'll try to pierce through from here. Maybe a double attack on the fabric of reality will help me-" He pauses and laughs. "I can't believe I just said that."

"This is kind of insane," Ellen agrees.

"Oh yeah, hi Ellen," Andy greets. "Thanks for helping out."

Ellen rolls her eyes. "You boys will be useless without me."

Jake kind of agrees.

Felix goes on to ask Andy questions about the magic from his end, and Sam asks ridiculous questions on the side. Ellen looks content enough letting them talk, sometimes throwing a smirk towards Jake that he does not quite understand.

It doesn't last long, though. Andy's connection gets blurry, and a storm appears outside Felix's home.

Alice attacks.

 

**vii.**

Jake loses his powers, and then regains his powers.

Andy almost becomes a giant tornado monster, and then he turns back into human.

They almost die, but in the end, everything works. Alice and Phoebe go into the in-between.

Andy goes home.

   
  
"Are you sure about this?" Bear asks, staring at him with wide eyes. "You've seen the world. You wanted to know about everything."

_Andy shrugs. "It feels like cheating," he answers. "I need to make my own experiments and discover things on my own. I think that's only fair."_

_"But what about..."_

_"If it will happen, it will happen," Andy says._

_"I thought you didn't believe in fate?"_

_Andy laughs. "Not fate, Bear. There's science involved in attraction and compatibility."_

_"Whatever you say, Andy Lau. Best of luck."_

_Andy feels his memories of the other worlds vanish into nothingness.  He has confidence that things will work out, in the end._

 

 

( **gifs** from [stevesharington@tumblr](http://stevesharington.tumblr.com/post/165795128361))

 

**viii.**

"Did you ever think this will happen?" Jake asks. "I think Ellen knew something."

Andy laughs and bumps his shoulder to Jake's side. "She did, huh?"

Jake smiles that soppy smile Andy still cannot believe is for him. "Ellen's pretty smart," he says. "I think she figured it out before I did."

"She is smart," Andy says. "Not as smart as me, though?" After coming back, Andy and Ellen has been locked in a weird rivalry that no one really understands. Jake loves it. They are probably the two coolest people he knows, and seeing them try to outdo each other is the most amusing thing.

"You're the smartest person I know," Jake says, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Of course I am," Andy agrees with a smug smile.

 

(gifs from [psmith73@tumblr](psmith73.tumblr.com))

 

**epilogue**

"Did you know this would happen?" Phoebe asks Bear.

Bear smiles, the real one he learned from Andy. "Nothing is ever certain," he says. "Humans are fickle, you know? It's hard to be sure about anything. But some things have strong enough bonds that they connect no matter what."

Alice rolls her eyes. "You knew this was a possibility," she says. "That's why you kept her here and waited until they were ready to approach their feelings. You needed Andy to understand he had a home to get back to, to stay in."

Phoebe brightens up. "Oh! Wow. You mean, like, he won't use inter-dimensional travel anymore to look for love because he has it at home? That's some rom-com shit."

"You have such a way with words, Phoebe," Bear says with a shake of his head. "But that is the gist of it. Andy was going to travel through worlds to find something he already has. they just needed a nudge."

"But you deleted all the memories of the other worlds," Phoebe says, narrowing her eyes. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the whole thing?"

Bear shakes his head. "What they needed was time," he says. "A few words from smart friends, and the knowledge that they are both important to each other."

"God, it's really rom-com," Phoebe groans. "Teenagers are the worst."


End file.
